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Guernsey’s German Occupation Museum marks 60 years of preserving wartime history

A plaque will be unveiled at Guernsey's German Occupation Museum commemorating its 60th anniversary.

Since 1966, the German Occupation Museum has stood in the Forest.

Inside are hundreds of unique items from the 40's when Guernsey was occupied by the Nazis.

Today (1 May 2026), the museum marks its 60th anniversary, with Lieutenant General Sir Richard Cripwell unveiling a plaque.

The man who started it all, Richard Heaume, will be in attendance.

Richard told Island FM that his passion for collecting Occupation items and the stories behind them started when he was a schoolboy.

"I was five or six when I started exploring bunkers and tunnels and collecting from those sites.

"By the time I was 11, I had quite a collection of stuff.

"I carried on right throughout the 50s and 60s, and my parents supported me, and they collected things."

In June 1966, Richard`s parents allowed him to use the cottage opposite their house to display his collection of Occupation items.

Since then, his collection has grown, with viechles, militaria, documents, and photographs.

"I would like to say it will continue to serve a useful purpose for the next generation because, sadly, the occupation generation is diminishing, and it's important that the next generation understands what happened between 1940 and 45."

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